136 WILD BROTHER 



summit of a tall slim pedestal which was standing 

 on my store platform. In other words, Mr. Weldon 

 landed here this morning feeling O.K., and loud 

 in his praises of the manner in which he had been 

 treated by all you good people. And now, if you 

 come to Maine in the near future, as Mr. Weldon 

 tells me you propose doing, can't you spare me a 

 few days of your time ? We are rough country 

 people, but we are clean and our roof don't leak. 

 I can offer you something to eat every day and a 

 decent bed to sleep in, and while I can't offer you 

 much in the way of entertainment, I would be 

 mighty glad to see you, and will gladly do all I 

 can to make your stay pleasant. 



Trusting that I may soon have the pleasure of 

 seeing you, I am 



Very truly yours. 



I never had the privilege of meeting this kindly 

 grocer, but I am sure that I should like him; we 

 had found a common interest in the welfare of the 

 Weldons. 



During that summer I heard nothing from the 

 family, but my merchant friend in answer to a letter 

 of inquiry from me said : 



Replying to your favor of the 2ist, I regret 

 very much that I am unable to send you a very 



